I Can See the Sword’s Memories

Chapter 3: The Girl Ran Toward the Starting Point (3)

It had been a week since I left the tribe and began living in the snow cave. During that week, I managed to catch only one snow rabbit.

Of course, I hadn’t hunted it myself; it had been a stroke of luck that the rabbit got caught in one of the traps I had set. I had yet to catch anything with my own hands.

Half of the food I had brought was already gone. Being in the small body of a young girl, I hadn’t been able to carry much to begin with.

Returning to the tribe to gather remaining supplies was an option, but it was risky. And there was no guarantee that any food would be left.

The unending winter had left all inhabitants of this land starving. 

The shallowly buried bodies of my tribespeople, as well as any leftover food, had likely been scavenged by roaming beasts.

“Hah…”

I let out a deep sigh. I felt guilty for not being able to properly care for the bodies of my fallen tribe members. However, with this frail body, I had done the best I could.

I hadn’t forgotten about revenge. The White Frost Tribe was known for never forgetting a grudge. But revenge could only be pursued when survival was assured.

I suppressed my simmering rage, knowing it was necessary.

Life in the snow cave was profoundly lonely. There were no tribespeople to talk to, no brothers to hunt with. Even when I spoke to my sister’s body, no reply came.

As time passed, I found myself talking to myself less and less.

Another week went by, and I discovered I had fully adapted to the small body of the young girl.

I had grown accustomed to the breathing techniques, the movements, and even wielding a sword.

I succeeded in my first real hunt, creeping across the snowy plains and finally catching a snow rabbit.

That day, I felt a sense of pride.

The snow-covered tundra was not a place teeming with game. Even catching a snow rabbit was considered fortunate.

By the time a month had passed, most of the food I had brought with me was gone. 

Despite rationing it as much as possible, it had finally run out.

All that remained were a handful of dried berries and a single piece of blackened jerky.

Clutching my growling stomach, I stood. As a small girl, I had only three options left.

The first was to bow my head and join another tribe. With luck, I might secure a place by bearing the heir of a leader, thus gaining status within the tribe.

This was immediately dismissed.

“I can’t disgrace my sister’s body.”

This wasn’t my body—it was my sister’s. I couldn’t allow her body to fall into the hands of strange men.

The second option was to stay here and starve to death. While this would preserve my pride and my sister’s honor, it was equally unacceptable.

“I won’t let my sister die as well.”

The third option was to leave the tundra. To escape the frigid land and journey to the lands of the outsiders.

I fastened the small pouch of food to my waist. Once the decision was made, I had to act—time was not on my side.

The small girl stepped out of the snow cave and began walking across the tundra.

Crunch, crunch.

Her tiny footprints stretched far across the vast, snow-covered plain.

My homeland, the frozen tundra, was far from safe. Beyond the freezing cold that could chill the body to its core, predators lay hidden beneath the snow, waiting for prey to pass by.

Among these threats, the cold posed little problem to me. My natural bloodline had granted me a strong resistance to the frigid weather.

I felt no chill as I walked across the snowy plains.

The true problem lay with the predators of the tundra. 

They were relentless and cunning. To them, I was an irresistible prey wandering alone across the plains.

“Damn it…”

Clicking my tongue, I broke into a run. Behind me, white snowflakes scattered in my wake. 

As I left the territory of the White Frost Tribe, a white tundra wolf began chasing me.

I gritted my teeth. If I were still in my original body, I wouldn’t have hesitated to fight. I would have wielded my sword and skinned the wolf with ease.

But now, that wasn’t possible. No matter how much knowledge and experience I had, it couldn’t compensate for the lack of physical strength.

I glanced behind me without stopping. Only one wolf was following me, and despite the time that had passed, no other members of a pack appeared.

That meant the wolf had likely been cast out of its pack. It was either sick or old—one of the two. But even so, I had no chance of winning.

So I kept running.

My heart pounded as if it were about to burst. The intense exertion demanded more oxygen, but my small lungs couldn’t meet the demands of my body.

As my oxygen intake dwindled, my physical strength began to decline. 

My legs grew heavier, and a sharp, almost tearing pain spread across my chest.

I ran and ran until I reached my limit.

I came to a halt.

If I kept running, I would simply collapse and die. It was better to conserve what little strength I had left and take a chance.

Breathing heavily, I gasped for air, letting the oxygen replenish my body. As I steadied my breathing, the wolf revealed itself.

The large tundra wolf was, as I expected, in poor condition. Its fur lacked luster, with bald patches here and there. 

Its teeth, dull and yellowed, protruded as it growled. It was an old wolf on the verge of death.

I set down the bag strapped to my back and gripped the sword in my hand.

The old wolf stared at me but didn’t charge recklessly. Its muscles had withered with age, its vision had deteriorated, and even its sense of smell wasn’t as sharp as it once was.

But the experience it had gained from years of survival hadn’t faded. The old wolf recognized the danger of the blade in my hand.

It circled me cautiously, waiting for the cold to sap my strength.

The icy wind blew between us.

The old wolf made the first move. It kicked off the ground and lunged at me with surprising speed.

My eyes scanned the air. I couldn’t directly confront it. Even an old wolf’s strength was too much for the small body of a girl to withstand.

As soon as I made the decision, my body reacted. I twisted slightly, letting my leg slip across the snow. My pivot leg dropped, lowering my stance, and then I pushed off the ground into a roll.

Thud!

The wolf narrowly missed me, crashing into the spot where I had stood moments earlier. 

Rolling across the snow, I quickly got back on my feet and swung my sword.

I couldn’t aim for the wolf’s body or neck. My arm strength wasn’t enough to pierce a thick hide. I had to target a vulnerable spot.

The blade grazed the wolf’s nose.

Slash!

Yelp!

A clean strike left a spray of crimson that painted the white snow like blooming red flowers.

Without hesitation, I retreated.

“Grrraah!”

The injured wolf charged again, more ferociously this time. Its movements were larger and filled with openings, but I didn’t take the opportunity to attack.

“If I go too deep, it’ll be the end of me.”

As an experienced hunter, I could see through the wolf’s intentions. The openings it showed were bait, luring me to strike deeply, only for the wolf to pounce and overwhelm me in retaliation.

I swung my sword in the air, feinting a threat to keep the wolf at bay while retreating step by step.

I maintained steady, controlled breathing, waiting for the right moment. When I finally saw a clear opening, I exhaled sharply and swung my sword.

Shhhk—!

The strike was shallow but effective. As the blade grazed the wolf’s leg, it halted its advance.

Grrr…

The wolf growled low, limping backward with its bleeding leg. It had realized that even if it succeeded in taking me down, the aftermath would seal its doom.

If the fight continued, the wolf might win, but it would undoubtedly suffer severe injuries.

For a lone, aging wolf without a pack, a grave wound meant becoming easy prey for other predators.

The wolf licked its bleeding nose as crimson drops fell steadily to the snow. Then, it retreated.

Even after the wolf vanished from sight, I couldn’t relax. My breathing remained shallow and trembling, my body still in a heightened state of tension. I stood frozen for a long time.

Eventually, I shook my head, snapping out of it. There was no time to waste standing still. As night fell, the predators of the tundra would become more active.

Gathering my scattered belongings, I began running again.

I ran all day, and when night came, I dug into the snow for shelter and hid. 

When dawn broke, I emerged cautiously and resumed my journey, keeping as low a profile as possible.

By the time my supplies were completely depleted, I finally reached the edge of a massive mountain range.

***

Crunch, crunch.

A small, battered girl stood panting at the base of the towering mountains, gazing at the expanse beyond. 

Unlike the snow-covered tundra behind me, a lush green plain stretched endlessly before me.

“Ah…”

The wind carried a faint warmth, something I had never experienced in my life on the frozen plains.

I stared at the green expanse, aware of myself, my thoughts, and my surroundings. 

A new memory layered itself over the earliest one I could recall—the memory of a boy growing into self-awareness.

Tap, tap.

My small feet stepped forward. That day, I left my homeland behind.